Wireless access links, such as those provided by 3G and 4G networks, are shared, limited resources and as such may become scarce as demand outstrips supply. As a consequence, contention will arise when too many users attempt to transmit data from their mobile devices within the same-sector. Until recently, users predominantly uploaded considerably less data than they would download. However, the recent introduction of video-enabled mobile devices is likely to stimulate rapidly growing demand for uplink bandwidth. It can be expected that one consequence of this growing demand will be frequent saturation of the uplink resource.
There are known methods that facilitate the streaming of video over a wireless link from a mobile device. However, the conventional approaches apply limited intelligence to problems such as the failure of the video to arrive as expected. In the case of such a failure, for example, conventional approaches will typically require the sender of the video to use a trial and error method to successfully deliver the video.
In view of the inherent dynamics of wireless connections, it may be necessary for the user to make repeated manual adjustments to the settings on the mobile device until the video is delivered. This problem will be exacerbated by increasing demand, and may eventually become intractable.
Another deficiency of conventional approaches is that, in general, they do not identify who, e.g. what individual or composite group, is a potential viewer of the video. The user who is transmitting the video, however, will often wish to know who might be viewing the video, particularly if a cost is incurred for streaming the video.